Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Reason Offered for Cancellation of Isthmus House Bill Hearing


Today I called Norma Wallace, the legislative assistant for Representative Geoff Simpson, Chair of the Local Government and Housing Committee, and asked why the scheduled hearing was cancelled for isthmus related HB 2081 and HB 2082. Wallace said she would get back to me. She did, and offered this explanation via voicemail: "My assessment of why Representative Simpson took the bills off schedule was because there is a Senate bill that they are working and these two bills are more local than statewide. When it is going to be heard, it is going to be really, really controversial, very busy, and take up a lot of time which the committee just doesn't have the time to do this year in the fast paced way things are moving. You may want to talk to Representative Hunt about it, or our senators and see how it's going there."

Representative Hunt (D-22) is the prime sponsor of HB 2081 and HB 2082.